REJECTION is, perhaps, one of the most challenging issues that we may face in life …. and all of us have faced rejection in some way, shape or form.  Most of us long for ACCEPTANCE, connection, community, and strong family relationships, going to almost any extreme to avoid rejection and division.

God has faced more rejection than any other person who has ever lived.  This fact is particularly striking in the account of a son who demands an early inheritance from his father and ultimately squanders it.

Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.

“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.’ So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

” ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ “

Luke 15:11-31

So, how do you and I face the rejections in our life?  I see at least 4 elements of God’s heart illustrated in this passage.

1. The father saw him coming …. my interpretation?  He was watching for his son’s return.
2. The father was filled with compassion for him …. my interpretation?  He longed to help his suffering son.
3. The father ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him …. my interpretation?  He was willing to affectionately demonstrate his love toward his son.
4. The father, quickly deducing a repentant heart, accepted his son and celebrated his son’s return to the family with a feast …. my interpretation?  Unconditional love, forgiveness, healing and reconciliation cover a multitude of sins and allows a relationship to move forward.

The HEART of our Heavenly Father fills scripture from Genesis to Revelation.  God longs for a relationship with each of us.  Although we also have the gift of “free will”, His desire is not that we would use that free will to reject Him, but, rather, to ACCEPT Him.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him would not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:16

Our hope and prayer this Christmas season is that you would see Him for who He is by accepting the gift of His Son and being fully reconciled to Him.

Caminando con Fé

Dave